Mariana received a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Michigan, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and a Ph.D. in Contemporary Spirituality from The Union Institute and University. However, she attributes the majority of her education and inspiration to years of research and practice in the world's great mystical traditions, and to studying, living, and adventuring in villages in India, Central and South America, and Europe. She lectures internationally, and is a popular guest on radio and television due to her passionate, no-nonsense style and her emphasis on the need for authenticity, sanity, and spiritual discernment in a troubled world. Mariana resides in the San Francisco Bay area. She is a freelance writer, teaches at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and has a private practice in counseling. Her sole passion is a love of Truth and transformation.